Now you may think it's an exaggeration calling this trip a Star-Trek-like journey. That's because you probably did not have seaweed soup for breakfast. It doesn't crunch at all like my cereal at home. You probably haven't had to sit on the floor and eat using two sticks either. Korea has modernized a lot, but we've been going traditional quite often, seeing things that many don't see. Speaking of that, we took a trip to the DMZ that most do not take...

The DMZ (demilitarized zone) is a 3-4 mile wide space that entends roughly across the 38th parallel, the western-fabricated line that has divided the Korean peninsula into two countries since the end of the Korean War. It is 50 miles north of Seoul.

An armistice -not a peace agreement - was signed on July 27, 1953, and the conflict, though occasionally punctuated with clashes at the border and on the Seas surrounding Korea, was put on hold at that time. The DMZ , filled with land mines and soldiers from both sides is the silent but threatening testimony to the fact that peace is very fragile here.

The DMZ is the most fortified border in the world. It is especially scary at Panmunjeom, where the original peace talks were held in 1951. There angry-looking soldiers will intimidate their counterparts on the other side, and visitors too if they can.

Though the tour was originally scheduled to visit tunnels around the DMZ, dug by North Korea and discovered and filled by South Korea, and though the normal visit includes Panmunjeom, our group was forced at the last minute to take a third alternative, the Dora Observatory, the nearest point to North Korea from South Korea.

From our vantage point, we did not see angry soldiers trying to stare us down with intimidating affects. Instead, the only sight of soldiers we had was some that were in a field farming the land. The group was ushered into a theatre to be briefed on the whole DMZ lay-out, then on our own we assembled outside for prayer.

What a joy to plead for North Korea's soul from this place. Will you join us from your place in these pleas? The Korean national wish on both sides is unification. God's wishes are even greater. He wants to bring them into His Everlasting Kingdom, united with Christ for eternity.